New Cold Steel Catalog

Which swords? Some are made in China, others in India. Some from both origins are ok, with others very good or piss poor depending on what someone expects from them.

Cheers

GC
 
Any & all.
I've seen less than favorable impressions here in the past.

Would not mind having one of the 1917 cutlasses, specifically.
Scottish basket-hilt's one I've wanted for years.
Denis
 
Only thing I have heard is they build them tough if not especially historically accurate and most models have occasional, sometimes fatal (non-functional) flaws in the handle fit/construction. Check out Kult of Athena and you'll see most of the "seconds" section is Cold Steel.

There are better swords for the money even if just sheer toughness is your goal. Darksword for example.

That said I had a Cold Steel Dadao ( Chinese War Sword) and once I fixed up the loose handle wrap and got it sharp (came butter-knife dull) was a hell of a bottle/jug/barrel cutting machine.
 
Keep hearing about weak handles here over the years, just wondered if there was a new consensus.
Thanks.
Denis
 
DPris said:
Any & all.
I've seen less than favorable impressions here in the past.

Would not mind having one of the 1917 cutlasses, specifically.
Scottish basket-hilt's one I've wanted for years.
Denis
Click to expand...

There is little that can go wrong with the cutlass and there are favorable reviews for them right back to when they were first offered. The main purist issue is that like so many are mislabeled. The cutlass actually represents the WWII era cutlass that mimics the earlier Dutch klewang. The 1917 was also modeled after the earlier Dutch cutlass but the US 1917 does not have the openings in the guard. The bulk of the later US Milsco production was exported.

As to the baskethilts, also India made and the only real issues are dimensions of the baskets (by and large too big) and blade thicknesses with an ahistorical distal taper. Unfortunately, those blade characteristics plague most early modern reproductions from third world sources.

The Hanwei backsword bladed baskethilt and the Cromwell about the best handling of the mid priced baskets. The Cromwell basket will be tight for large hands but I have quite large hands and like it. The other possible downside on the Cromwell is the ray skin grip that will chafe in prolonged use without gloves.

There is Armour Class in the UK for baskethilts. Pricier and a wait. Lutel in the CZ, pricier still with a wait. Nielo in the CZ, communication on specifics necessary but about Armour Class price. Del Tin in Italy, a mainstay with some jewels. Kult of Athena a good site for window shopping.

Arms&Armor in the US will do a great job for just about anything but pricier still and waits are getting longer due to popularity.

At that point though, it is a bit nit picky if looking for a basket less than five hundred and that leads to India and China. The Indian made swords are sold by more than Cold Steel but the Cold Steel items sharp out of the box. Look at Universal Sword at Kult of Athena for India stuff but know they are blunts.

Out of the box for the early modern military swords from Cold Steel are a best overall mid range production bet, excepting a few Hanwei European types.

Cheers

GC
 
Thanks.
Extremely helpful.

I may do one of the cutlasses, looking more for function than authenticity on that one.

40 years ago I passed on a basket hilt in an Edinburg shop near the foot of the castle & I've been regretting it ever since. Just something about that form.
Think the Hanwei would be durable enough for actual use?
Denis
 
Hanwei's tend to be pretty durable, but that will really depend on what you consider actual use. They'll do fine for most of the usual cutting tasks (mats, bottles, etc) that would be put to a normal sword, but should not, like most swords, be used to chop down trees or engage in stage combat, or any of the usual things are that normally classified as abuse.
 
No swordsman here, no intent to remove trees.
Just want a "real" sword, not a wall-hanger. :)

The only Hanwei I have is a Godfred from some years back & that one got some mixed reviews here.
Denis
 
Yes, here is my my Godfred :D Honest

2zyesf8.jpg


I hated it so much back in 2002 that I bought an exact replacement blade. I still hate ii so much that I still have it and hate it. After that first batch, they were certainly aware and the blade had changed even before I conversed with Paul Chen of Hanwei himself If Brian von Speybrocke (gallowglass) ever resurfaces here, he may still have larger and higher resolution pictures.

Heat treatment can be an issue with any sword and Hanwei has had some issues then and again .. Keep in mind that I broke that blade under severe abuse but the cooked/overheated steel might happen from any producer's oops. Hanwei sharpening can be spotty but so can Cold Steel swords.

So, that said, I am one of the mythical beasts from the past and my other Hanwei is a practical katana that has done just fine for more than a decade.

Kris Cutlery has had a couple of baskethilts for sale that are from decades ago. One repro and one authentic 19th century (iirc).

Cheers

GC
 
Found out about the Godfred problems AFTER I got mine, of course.
It was an early one, dunno if it has problematic metallurgy or not, so I've avoided using it on anybody.
Denis
 
I've always heard they're just heavy. as in "clunky", and the balance point leaves something to be desired.
 
I'm still waiting for the new '17 Hybrid Cutlass to become available. I thought their standard '17 Cutlass was kind of cool, but I love the looks of the hybrid version.
 
kaotikross said:
I've always heard they're just heavy. as in "clunky", and the balance point leaves something to be desired.
Click to expand...

True of many early modern type swords and mentioned above. There are no production swords of sabers and baskethilts that matches the stock thicknesses and distal taper of the period swords, I can't emphasis that enough. Even a lot of 19th century military swords are clunkers when compared to others not making the compromises in production back then.

Take any model individually and compare it to what else is available. I have many period swords and some of those are clunkers (to me). Many of the same ilk and some will just seem off. Then again there is the subjective nature, especially so if one has nothing in hand to compare it to. What one person may despise may suit another to a T.

Cheers

GC
 
Looking hard at that hybrid cutlass, too.
So, CS for that & look elsewhere for a basket-hilt claymore.
Thanks.
Denis
 
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